MSS: Missy Franklin

Missy Franklin is getting back into her routine in Colorado after an amazing few weeks at world championships and nationals. She talks about her experiences in Shanghai, swimming fast at nationals and what possibly lies ahead for her in the next 11 months in terms of training and racing.

Show Transcript: (Note: This is an automated service where some typos and grammatical errors may occur.)

Peter Busch: This is The Morning Swim Show for Friday, August 26th 2011. I'm your host, Peter Busch. In the FINIS monitor today we'll talk to Missy Franklin, the 16-year-old's breakout swims at the world championships in Shanghai changed the landscape in women's swimming, making the Americans the clear favorite in all - mostly all relays - going into next year's Olympics. Missy Franklin joins us right now from Regis Jesuit High School in Aurora, Colorado. Hey Missy, welcome back to the show. How are you?

Peter Busch: Oh, sorry about that. Next time we'll make sure we time it so that we get you out of class.

Missy Franklin: Perfect, that would be great.

Peter Busch: Well, how is it going back to school after the summer that you had?

Missy Franklin: It's amazing. It just feel so good to be back and seeing all my friends and I just kind of feel like I'm home and that's the best feeling in the world. So I'm just kind of getting back into the swing of things and I had my first AP classes this year and that's definitely something new and I realize how much work that's going to be but I'm really, really excited.

Peter Busch: You just got your driver's license. Are you driving yourself to school now for the first time?

Missy Franklin: I am, yes, it's the coolest feeling ever. It's so weird though because my friend who I would carpool with when I was a freshman and sophomore, she stopped by my house last night and it was so emotional. I was like "I'm driving myself" and she's going off to college, so it's definitely different. I don't get to talk to my mom as much anymore and she's kind of sad but that's okay.

Peter Busch: Did your parents buy you a car?

Missy Franklin: I actually got my mom's old car. It's a Silver 4Runner and I love him to death so I wouldn't even ask for a new car.

Peter Busch: I was just going to say there are probably some sponsors more than willing to park a new shiny car in your driveway.

Missy Franklin: There still really hasn't. I'm very, very set on NCAA even with everything that happened this summer. I just feel like - again I'll say it - college experience is just unbelievable and it's something that you can only get once, so I think that that's the most important part - is having fun with it and being able to be a part of a team like that I think is really special because I know my team here at Regis has meant to the world to me so I really, really want to get that college experience so right now that's definitely pretty set.

Peter Busch: Any early thoughts on schools that might be lucky enough to have you?

Missy Franklin: You know what? I'm definitely keeping my options open right now. I think that … my two team mates, Jordan Madden and Caroline Piel both went to - Jordan went to Georgia and Caroline went to CAL - and those are definitely two big schools I'm looking at because I've worked so much with Teri and Jack and I love them both to death and I know that Liz Pelton and Rachel Bootsma are now verbally committed to CAL so that's definitely interesting because those two girls are my best friends, I love them to death, so that's definitely interesting. I think CAL's going to have a heck of a lot of backstrokers. You know what? Right now I'm so excited for recruiting trips in a year and maybe I'll get a chance to visit some campuses.

Peter Busch: You have dual citizenship to Canada, right?

Missy Franklin: I do, yes.

Peter Busch: I've got to imagine they're willing to give you a Parliament seat to swim for them at this point.

Missy Franklin: You know what? No one's come up to me, no one's said anything. I think that everyone knows that I'm a United States girl and there's no changing that.

Peter Busch: I can tell you people like my dad are certainly happy that that's the case. You're making his life a lot easier up there in Colorado Springs.

Missy Franklin: Oh good, so glad.

Peter Busch: You think you could have gone 58 in the 100 back had you swam it in Shanghai?

Missy Franklin: You know what? I'm so happy with the time I went in Nationals and there are other reasons that I did that at Nationals and I think that when I go a 58 I'll go a 58 and I think that will especially give me more motivation for this year because that is such a big goal for me so I would absolutely love to do that. I'm so ecstatic at how I did at Nationals, I wouldn't ask for anything more than that. And I'm actually kind of happy that it went that way because I think, like I said before, if I had gone a 58 I mean I'd obviously still be motivated but now that I'm right there I think it gives me just that much more little push to go forward.

Peter Busch: How did your place on the national team evolve throughout that trip?

Missy Franklin: Honestly I think that once you're a part of a relay on a national team, I mean from that moment on, oh my goodness, everything is different. As soon as you get out there in finals and you're with these three other amazing girls and just, oh my gosh, it's unreal. Every time I think about it my adrenalin starts pumping and I get so excited but honestly I think once you have that experience and once you're able to compete at something as amazing as world championships with that flag on your cap, I just think that the national team becomes so much more a part of you. Honestly, I feel so much a part of the team, I feel all my team mates support me 100% and I know that they do and hopefully they know that I support them 100%. And so to just be on that team with all those unbelievable swimmers, this generation is just incredible so to be able to be a part of that and learn from them - it's just been incredible.

Peter Busch: It's an interesting situation - you go in as the teen with tremendous potential but within a week you're the best swimmer on the team. Do you consider yourself … well, I think from my objective standpoint you are now the best swimmer on the team if not in the world. So do you feel like "I've got to now be a leader" on the national team?

Missy Franklin: Well thank you first of all for saying that but honestly with my age right now we all really have incredible leaders on the national team. We have amazing captains on this trip and I know that it's definitely going to take me a few years to get where they are in terms of leadership and leading the team and having that experience that they can share with others. Right now I'm just going to try and keep staying positive and help my other team mates stay positive and get them excited and then get them ready to swim which is what I love to do.

Peter Busch: Is there a swimmer that still intimidates you behind the blocks?

Missy Franklin: You know? I'm actually really happy right now because I've definitely got into a mindset where I'm really able to focus on my own race which is great. And I love that because it makes it so much easier when you get up there and all you see is your lane and that's all that you're focusing on and there are obviously incredible swimmers in the world right, I mean so many unbelievable names that are going to be at the Olympics next year and trying out. So I think that definitely this next year it will be fun to watch and see what everyone's doing but once you get behind the blocks it's really your own race and just trying to stay in your own head.

Peter Busch: Do you try and intimidate others?

Missy Franklin: I don't really think I could be intimidating if I tried, but I mean, maybe my height kind of scares people but I don't know, I don't think I could do it.

Peter Busch: Have you had the conversation with your coach, Todd Schmitz, on what you plan to swim at Olympic Trials?

Missy Franklin: We haven't yet. Actually Todd's been enjoying a nice little vacation back home so he just had those 20 questions so I was going to read that but we haven't sat down yet, hopefully we will soon because I'm getting so excited, I miss being under the water so much. I've started swimming by myself a little bit. We're doing weights – Kara Lynn and I are doing those - so it's nice to see her again and work out with her — but I'm definitely anxious to start getting back to my training again.

Peter Busch: So we've been predicting 100 free, 200 free, 100 back, 200 back which you are easily on paper capable of not only swimming and making the team but medaling but that's a heavy workload when you add in three relays. Do you think you can handle seven events in London?

Missy Franklin: You know what? I'm going to go wherever my team needs me to do. They can put me in the 800, the 400 IM ,which probably wouldn't be good for them but they can put me wherever they want to and I will swim my heart out no matter what I'm doing. Being on a relay is so special and I don't think I could ever turn down an opportunity to be on one just to be able to represent my country and you know what, Michael had an unbelievable Olympics last year - he had an insane amount of events, a ridiculous workload - I think him and Ryan are going to have an insane workload this year and next year going to the Trials so it's just something that's a part of swimming and I think that the few meets that kind of lead up to it and all the Grand Prix and things like that, those really help when you kind of have a bunch of those events back to back to back because it makes it - when you have 30 minutes in between events, it makes it seem so nice and just relaxing so I think that those meets really help for that and just going into it might change and put me wherever they need me, and I'll swim my heart out.

Peter Busch: Speaking of meets you'll be swimming in the upcoming year, will there be any shave-and-taper meets before trials?

Missy Franklin: I don't think so. I don't think there would be a full taper meet. I'm not sure about that though. I might rest a few days going into some meets but again I still haven't talked to Todd about it so I'm still not sure.

Peter Busch: You mentioned Kara Lynn - you guys are back training together. She moved from California, kind of an unprecedented step - this is a two time Olympian, gold medal winner moving to train with a 16-yearold girl in a place she really has no connection to. Do you think others will follow suit in this next year and want to come train with you?

Missy Franklin: You know what? I think that Kara's situation is very special. A lot of people were shocked at what she did. I mean it is very surprising, but I think that we have been so good for each other and I absolutely love having her with me here. Everyone's situation is going to be different - it definitely depends on where you are, where you want to go, and who can help you do that so it's really not sure if anyone else is going to follow that and do the same thing but I could not be happier that Kara moved down here with us and I'm so lucky to have her.

Peter Busch: Missy, before we let you get back to lunch, one final question - will the braces still be on for London?

Missy Franklin: No, I will rip them off if I have to. You know what? Right now I have my next ortho appointment in like, a week I think so I'm giving them an ultimatum but hopefully they'll come off in the next few months.

Peter Busch: Well congratulations. It was a ton of fun watching you this past month, just really spectacular and great for USA Swimming. Congrats.

Missy Franklin: Thank you so much, Peter, it's so nice talking to you.

Peter Busch: All right, have a good lunch break, Missy.

Missy Franklin: Thank you. Bye.

Peter Busch: That's Missy Franklin joining us in the FINIS monitor from her high school in Aurora, Colorado. I'm Peter Busch reminding you to keep your head down at the finish.